THE LAST REAL SPORTS JAGUAR? hen Jaguar unveiled its Type E at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1961, it was a complete surprise. Surprise, because no one had had any prior information about the future Grand Touring of the Coventry brand, and also because the Type E line totally captivated the crowds. A William Lyons design, a sporty yet comfortable) chassis and first-class performance were the hallmarks of the new Jaguar Type E. Not to mention the unbeatable price then, since it was three times cheaper than a Ferrari and half as much as a Maserati...Since the end of the war, Jaguar has become the symbol of British Grand Touring. The entire genealogy of XK roadsters (120 to 150) has largely contributed to building this sporting image in addition to the many victories in major competitions. But at the dawn of the 1960s, despite all their qualities, the XKs could not hide their age. So, in secret, Coventry is working on the replacement. On 15 March at the Geneva Motor Show, it is the crowd of journalists in the Parc des Eaux-Vives who can admire a preview of the new Coventry star. Then, it is the great crowd at the Geneva Motor Show. The comments and reactions are ecstatic. Every time an E-Type Jaguar appears in the street, there is a crowd. One the stream of stars and personalities who hastened to take orders for the beautiful English car: Françoise Sagan, Johnny Haliday, Bernard Consten, Charles Trenet, Pierre Bardinon, Robert Hirsch, not to mention the crowned heads. But not content with having a line to cut the blow, the Jaguar E-Type could boast of having a royal chassis for the time... The design of the Jaguar Type E has often been attributed to Sir William Lyons. But as in every automobile genesis, there is a captain at the helm, and a whole team behind him working in his shadow. Malcolm Sayer, an aerodynamicist from the aeronautics industry, assumes the authorship of the pencil stroke. Dressing a very light tubular chassis, our English designer gave the Jaguar Type E an immensely long and flat bonnet which quickly contributed to the magnetism operated on the public. The opening of the bonnet is total with the complete block tilting forward and fully uncovering the mechanics. At the front, a small grille looks like a suggestive half-open mouth, leaving the door open to the most fertile imaginations. Two round headlights are under globes and recessed. The rear is Fastback style with the roof sloping down to the slim taillights. The finish on board does not suffer from criticism, quite the contrary, and a large bootmakes it possible to envisage long journeys. Isn't this precisely the primary vocation of a GT? Jaguar owes so much to the XK engine that we can't talk without recalling its history. When the Jaguar XK120 roadster was presented at Earls Court in 1948, the English motor show, the love at first sight with the public was immediate. Its name "XK 120" comes from its engine and performance. Equipped with the XK engine, this Jaguar-designed in-line six, it gave the Jaguar XK120 Roadster a top speed of... 120 miles per hour! Born in 3.4 litres with its cast iron block and an aluminum cylinder head, its distribution was done by two overhead camshafts. Not bad in 1948 ! For its Jaguar Type E, Coventry equipped it with a rebored version of the XK engine. The in-line 6 now has a displacement of 3.8 litres (87x106 mm) and retains its character of a long-stroke engine. This means more torque from the lowest revs. The power announced by the factory is 265 hp SAE at 5500 rpm and a torque of 35.9 mkg at 5500 rpm. With a top speed of 240 km/h and a 0-100 km/h time of less than 8 seconds many motorists in their 'modern' cars are surprised by the good health of the E-Types. The Jaguar Type E has been the object of the most careful attention for its chassis. Indeed, many solutions have been taken from the competition. Thus, for the new GT of Coventry the chassis engineers (Bob Knight and Norman Dewis) have imagined a cradle independent of the hull. It houses the rear suspension, brakes and differential. It is then attached to the body by V-shaped silent-blocks. This isolates the passenger compartment from any interference from suspension and/or road irregularities. For the front part, it is almost a "copy and paste" of the Type D race structure. Two superimposed triangulated levers, including the lower one which houses the front end of the longitudinal torsion arm.To slow down its sharp-clawed feline, Jaguar adopted the principle of disc brakes successfully inaugurated at the Le Mans 24 Hours in June 1953 with the Jaguar Type C. All four wheels are equipped with them and a separate dual braking system is fitted. With a contained weight of 1,220 kg, the Jaguar Type E boasts a very flattering power-to-weight ratio that allows it to claim the status of a true sports car. The handling is very modern and it is above all the ride comfort that is astonishing. It's easy to see why Jaguar would make a name for itself in the chassis business. In 1962 3500 coupes were produced out of a total production of 7667 coupes in the 3.8L version. This E Type is certainly the most desirable of all. Its line makes it a collector's item of choice, its technical solutions and its genesis still allow it to be a modern car and its engine, which seemed archaic at the time, now stands out thanks to its reliability. Our Jaguar E Type 3,8L Fixed Head Coupé was delivered new in the States in February 1963 to Mr and Mrs Garlock. It stayed there most of its life before reaching the UK where a very ambitious restoration was started. Over 2 years it has been painstakingly prepared to ultimate fast road specifications with a specific attention to period esthetic and improved comfort for rallies and long-distance run. An impressive file of pictures and invoices* describes the great work achieved by some of the best Jaguar specialists such as Guy Broad, Pendine Works, Project shop… The result is a car that would for sure drive you fast to the lawns of a selective concourse where it would be noticed…even driven hard and covered with dead flies. *Sum up of the work achieved Engine Complete strip and rebuild, including acid stripping the block. Skimmed head, 9:1 pistons, completely rebuilt Piper D-Type Camshafts Cosworth pistons Balanced conrods Standard crank, crack tested and balanced New alloy sump Broadsport competition core plugs Rebuilt SU Carburettors Uprated rear main oil seal Competition exhaust system with Bob Beere manifolds High torque Starter Alternator Alloy competition Marsten style radiator Refurbished fuel tank Braided fuel hose Facet fuel pump Gearbox Rebuilt full-synchro Jaguar 4.2 unit with uprated layshaft 9 inch heavy duty clutch Lightened, balanced flywheel New propshaft Brakes Uprated Series I 4.2 pedal box with larger remote servo Zeus 4 pot alloy front brakes Coopercraft performance alloy rear brake callipers Kunifer brake lines Fast road pads Coated braided hoses Remote easy bleed rear brake lines Brake bias valve Suspension Front Gaz fully adjustable, with adjustable reaction plate Uprated Torsion Bars Bob Beere 1 inch anti roll bar Fully rebuilt rear cradle with new bearings throughout Rear Gaz fully adjustable coilover shock absorbers Standard rear anti roll bar Limited Slip Differential Rebuilt steering rack Cadmium Plated suspension components, as per factory New custom built wire wheels; standard 5” front wheels, with Competition outside laced 6” rear wheels Dunlop SP Sport Tyres Interior Bespoke interior with competition bucket seats Body Complete strip down New floors New sills inner and outer New boot floor Original bonnet retained and realigned Doors stripped, rebuilt and realigned Finished in Jaguar Warwick Grey